For me, Christmas is a reading, restful time and I like particularly to read a book that sweeps me into a complete world, somewhere else. It may be a true somewhere else, but it should be far from our own every day. That is precisely what The Queen of Four Kingdoms will do.

With current offerings like Book of Mormon and Matilda both receiving critical acclaim and catering to very different theatre-goers' interests... does Wicked still hold its own alongside the new kids on the block? Well, after seeing the show for myself, I can confirm that it definitely does.

I've been in the fog for about a week. In a way it feels like I've been reunited with an evil, lost relative. Someone from my past I can vaguely recognize - and then it comes to me, oh yes, it's depression. I remember now... This time it's different than any of my past episodes, At this point when I had depression in the past I'd be panicking that my old self is gone - my old personality gone and this new deader one to replace it. But even in this chaos I sort of know this is temporary, I just happen to have this disease and this loss of identity is part of it; my mind is just out of the office for a minute.

Volunteers are the backbone of sport in the UK, without them sport just wouldn't be possible.... Volunteering helps boost communities, people who volunteer in sport feel closer to their communities, they feel they can trust their communities and that they have an impact on what that community is like. I've seen it first hand, people from different backgrounds, ages and areas coming together for a cause they feel strongly about.

With Christmas just around the corner, this is the weekend to do your Christmas check-list and ensure your home is ready for guests. There's nothing worse than having a less-than-perfect display in the home when you have all the family round. Here are my top nine decorating "don'ts" for dressing your home in December... I hope these tips help you create a festive look you'll love and will be proud of your home when you welcome guests this Christmas. I wish you all a very Merry Christmas and happy decorating!

At what age is one considered to be "an older person"? I suppose that at the ripe old age of 75 I am regarded by others as "old", although personally speaking I consider age is strictly a case of mind over matter. If you don't mind it doesn't matter!

Create some healthy habits, this can include many things but overall is covered in one area - Fitness. Exercise not only improves physical confidence but it also helps your brain work more efficiently and process information faster.

It's hard for me to write this and come up with words and sentences because it feels like no one is at the wheel of the ship - so who's writing this? I'm pushing myself to keep going so I can remember what it looks like when it's written down and for everyone else who suffers with this to say this is not your imagination, you are not being self indulgent (I'm fighting my mind on that one). It's exactly what it says on the bottle, it's poison, terrifying and a complete mummification in nothingness.

There is a sweet taste of melancholy in the air after our final show, although performance has been my auxiliary goal to observing Daniel's behaviour, it has had an addictive quality that leaves me yearning for longevity in this project so I could indulge in more of its more-ish byproduct.

What have I read, what have I learned, what have I proved to myself, that's what I want to know. Not about the random highs, but the necessary and sustained lows. Not about the chaos, but about the easy order of silence. Bloody 'ell I sound like a Vulcan. But no, seriously, my point is, I think 2014 has made me a better artist.

It's so important for parents, especially single parents, to have a strong and reliable support network around them, you can go through months without 'needing a friend' but when you do it's so reassuring to know that those positive role models are there waiting in the wings to come and be wonderful influence on the boys.

Poverty in Myanmar affects ordinary Burmese families and children, with one in four of the population living in extreme poverty, but ActionAid's child sponsorship programme is really helping and making real transformations... That is why I am is backing ActionAid's Christmas appeal to find sponsors for 2,700 children across six countries in the developing world - Afghanistan, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Ghana, Malawi, Myanmar and The Gambia - who are affected by extreme poverty or conflict to help give them a future.

Greener than many of its neighbours, and home to both the highest mountain range in Africa and the source of the mighty Nile, Winston Churchill famously described Uganda as the 'Pearl of Africa'. Unlike much of the country, however, due to its harsh climate and low annual rainfall, the Karamoja region is predominantly a semi-arid plain - causing many problems for the communities who live there.

These mini mince pies have a double dose of flaked almonds and Amaretto in the mincemeat and a marzipan star on the top. They're an almond lovers dream. Teeny triple almond injections. I adore them. I hope you do too. Of course you can make them in a larger holed tin if you like.

If David Cameron is serious about reducing red tape then there are no better allies than his partners in the EU's institutions. Instead of viewing EU legislation as a costly inconvenience, we'd be better served by seeing it as one of the best mechanisms we have available for making Europe a more streamlined and competitive place.

And a pantomime it is, well not so entertaining, no flouncing dames or doleful Buttons or rousing songs, just semi-staged tittle-tattle and bickering. The only worthwhile sentiments, be they raging or insightful come from the audience, across the camera bank. The man who brings up politicians pay rises, the man who demands I stand for parliament (so that he could not vote for me judging from his antipathy), the mad, lovely blue hair woman who swears at everyone, mostly though the woman who says "Why are we talking about immigrants? It's a side issue, this crisis was caused by financial negligence and the subsequent bail-out".